Indian Lamb Curry Party Meatballs Recipe

Indian Lamb Curry Party Meatballs are a perfect appetizer for entertaining. They’re full of incredible flavor and so easy to make.

Indian Lamb Curry Is So Delicious!

I love Indian food and lamb curry is probably my favorite dish from the first time I tried this cuisine. Anytime we go out to an Indian restaurant, that is usually my go-to entree to order. I also have my own Indian recipe for Lamb Curry that I make at home from time to time.

My own version of lamb curry is a slow-cooked dish that fills the house with a wonderful aroma, but it does take a fair amount of time to prepare. I thought it would be fun to come up with a quicker version of a lamb curry-like dish. Basically, a more simple recipe that still had all of that wonderful flavor and aroma of those warm Indian spices.

Enter this delightful, easy lamb meatball curry appetizer. I really enjoy developing new recipes and I really love this one!

Not only do these meatballs have all of the flavors of a traditional, slow cooked lamb curry, but they’re perfect party food. I mean, who doesn’t love meatballs at a party?! Your guests will absolutely love these.

Making the Meatballs

Lamb curry meatballs are simple to make and have such great flavor. They are a great compliment to the Indian curry sauce in this recipe.

In a large mixing bowl, you combine the meatball ingredients. The fun part is mixing together these ingredients with your hands! Feel free to use gloves if you don’t want to get in there bare-handed.

If you’re unable to find ground lamb at your grocery store, I would recommend using ground pork or ground beef as a substitution. The meatballs will still be delicious and the flavor of the spices will still shine through.

Making the Sauce

The sauce is equally simple and comes together quickly. Don’t be afraid of the list of spices, they’re readily available at the regular grocery and they’re essential for giving this dish it’s authentic flavor.

The really tasty part is that you use the meatballs drippings as the base of the sauce! Simply use the same pan you used to sauté the meatballs, add in the sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. That’s it!

Bringing It Together

In the skillet with the sauce you just made, add the meatballs back in. Now everything simmers for just 20 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. After that, it’s party time and you’re ready to enjoy their deliciousness.

​I love eating these right away. But, if you are making these ahead of time, you do have a couple of options.

If you plan on eating these in the next day or two, simply make the recipe, place the meatballs in an airtight container and put into the fridge. When you are ready to serve, put them in a pan on the stovetop and heat them up over medium-low to medium heat. You can then serve right away, or you can transfer the meatballs to a crock pot on a warm setting for when they are being served.

If you plan on serving these more than a couple of days out, please see the freezing option below.

Can You Freeze These Meatballs?

Yes – this is a great recipe to make ahead! Simply make up a batch of these meatballs, let them cool a bit and then put into an airtight container. You can freeze them safely for at least three months.

This is great to do if you know you are going to serve a lot of people and want to make an extra batch or two. Freezing is a perfect way to make things easier on the day of your event.

On the day you are going to serve them, take them out of the freezer and let them thaw. My go-to is to then put them in a pan on the stovetop and heat them up over medium-low to medium heat. You can then transfer to a crock pot on a warm setting for when they are being served.

A Great Appetizer and an Easy Entree

The most simple way to serve these meatballs is “as is” on a plate. You can also have a bit of fun and buy mini naan bread to accompany the meatballs.

If you’re not serving these meatballs as a party appetizer, they’re also delicious as an easy entree any night of the week. I recommend serving them over basmati rice, or if you’re watching your carbs, they’re delicious over cauliflower rice, too.

Enjoy!

Tips and Tricks

• If you’re unable to find ground lamb, ground pork, ground beef or a combination of the two can be substituted.
• Just an FYI, that ground lamb and minced lamb are the same thing. Sometimes they are just labeled differently in your local grocery store.
• I know the list of spices sounds long, but they really do make the dish so full of flavor. All of the spices should be readily available at your regular grocery store.
• Make sure you allow the meatballs to simmer in the sauce for the full 20 minutes to allow the flavors to fully develop an to assure that the meatballs are cooked through.
• If you’re serving these at a party, you can put the meatballs and sauce in a slow cooker set to warm.
• Any leftovers can be refrigerated for several days or frozen for up to three months.
• If you freeze the meatballs, allow them to defrost before reheating.

Ingredients Needed to Make Indian Lamb Curry Party Meatballs

Full instructions can be found below in the the printable recipe card

• Ground lamb
• Red onion
• Garlic
• Bread crumbs
• Egg
• Curry powder
• Cumin
• Ginger paste
• Garam masala
• Turmeric
• Cayenne pepper
• Tomato paste
• Crushed tomatoes
• Sugar
• Salt
• Pepper

How to Make Indian Lamb Curry Meatballs

To Prepare Meatballs

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Saute onions until translucent, adding garlic to the pan for the last 30 seconds.
• Let mixture cool for a few minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine lamb, onion mixture, breadcrumbs, egg, curry powder, cumin, ginger paste, salt and pepper.
• Mix with hands until mixture is well-combined.
• Form into (36) 1-inch meatballs.
• Reheat skillet to medium-high heat and add a little more olive oil, if necessary.
• Add meatballs to skillet and brown on two sides.
• Remove from skillet and set aside.

To Prepare Sauce

• Saute onion in meatball drippings over medium heat.
• Add garlic to skillet and sauté for 30 seconds
• Stir in tomato paste and ginger paste.
• Once the onions are well coated, stir in curry, garam masala, turmeric, cumin and cayenne pepper.
• Stir in crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper and sugar.
• Bring mixture to a bubble.

Bring Together

• Add meatballs back to skillet, gently stirring to coat with the sauce.
• Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

More Party Appetizers to Enjoy

• Fried Ravioli with Marinara
• Instant Pot Cranberry Barbecue Meatballs
• Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with Eel Sauce
• Crab Rangoon Dip
• Easy Cheese and Cracker Tray (How to make an Epic Charcuterie Board)